Abstract:

A medicine management apparatus comprises a medicine storage casing for
storing medicines, a display unit for displaying medication times for the
medicines and temperature and humidity within the medicine storage
casing, an audio unit for informing the medication times on a periodic
basis, a timer for setting the medication times on a periodic basis and
outputting the medication times through the audio unit or the display
unit, a message transmission module for transmitting a message to an
administrator over a wireless communication network when there is no open
signal detected when doors provided in the medicine storage casing are
opened using the open signal as a medication signal, and a control unit
for performing an overall control operation.

Claims:

1. A medicine management apparatus for managing a patient's medication
period through message transmission, the apparatus comprising:a medicine
storage casing for storing medicines;a display unit for displaying
medication times for the medicines and temperature and humidity within
the medicine storage casing;an audio unit for informing the medication
times on a periodic basis;a timer for setting the medication times on a
periodic basis and outputting the medication times through the audio unit
or the display unit;a message transmission module for transmitting a
message to an administrator over a wireless communication network when
there is no open signal detected when doors provided in the medicine
storage casing are opened using the open signal as a medication signal;
anda control unit for performing an overall control operation of the
medicine management apparatus.

2. The medicine management apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a wired communication module for transmitting an emergency
signal to a management server over a wired communication network when
there is no open signal using the open signal as the medication signal.

3. The medicine management apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
control unit controls the audio unit or the display unit such that the
audio unit or the display unit outputs a medication notification signal
again based on the period set in the timer in response to a periodic
signal when there is no open signal.

4. The medicine management apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
message transmission module and the wired communication module transmit
the message and an emergency signal to the administrator and a management
server, respectively, when there is no open signal although the
medication notification signal is outputted again by a predetermined
number of times in response to the periodic signal.

5. The medicine management apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:the
medicine storage casing is partitioned into a hot storage room, a cold
storage room, and a room-temperature storage room with a barrier rib
interposed therebetween, and temperature and humidity within each of the
storage rooms are controlled by the control unit.

6. The medicine management apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
timer comprises a first timer, a second timer, and a third timer
configured to set the respective medication times of the medicines stored
in the hot storage room, the cold storage room, and the room-temperature
storage room.

7. The medicine management apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a blood sugar measuring instrument for enabling a diabetic
patient himself to measure his blood sugar.

8. The medicine management apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein a
blood sugar value measured by the blood sugar measuring instrument is
transmitted to the administrator and the management server through the
message transmission module and the wired communication module,
respectively.

9. The medicine management apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising an urgent button unit disposed on one side of the medicine
management apparatus and configured to transmit an urgent signal
according to the patient's urgent situation to a management server or an
administrator over wired/wireless communication networks.

[0003]The present invention relates to a medicine management apparatus,
and more particularly, to a medicine management apparatus having a
function of storing medicines, a function of notifying the medication
times, and a function of enabling an external administrator to manage
whether a patient requiring periodic medications has taken medicine over
a network.

[0004]2. Background of the Related Art

[0005]In general, numerous medicines and instruments are being used
according to the symptoms and uses of patients. Storage conditions differ
depending on the types or uses of the medicines and the instruments. It
is necessary to manage medication for a patient who must periodically
take medicine.

[0007]As described above, medicines are classified into medicines for hot
storage, medicines for cold storage, and medicines for room-temperature
storage according to the types. However, conventional medicine management
apparatuses are used only for a hot storage, a cold storage, and a
room-temperature storage, respectively.

[0009]However, the medicine management apparatus disclosed in Korean
Utility Model Registration No. 20-0335370 is advantageous in that it can
be used in various ways according to the types and storage conditions of
medicines, but is disadvantages in that it does not have additional
effects other than the medicines storage function. That is, the medicine
management apparatus has only limited functions (for example, a patient's
medication times).

[0010]Furthermore, there are recently being disclosed technologies
equipped with remote medical systems for patients and configured to
inform the patients of the medication times with the help of a developed
network.

[0011]However, the conventional technologies are configured to inform the
patients of only medication times and medication methods, but are not
configured to manage whether patients (for example, hypertensives,
diabetic patients, paralytics, and imbecility patients) periodically take
medicine. Furthermore, a medicine management apparatus capable of
managing whether patients have taken medicine using an apparatus for
storing medicines has not yet been developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012]Accordingly, some embodiments of the present invention have been
made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present
invention to provide a medicine management apparatus capable of storing
medicines according to the storage conditions of the medicines.

[0013]Another object of the present invention is to provide a medicine
management apparatus equipped with a blood sugar measuring instrument,
enabling a diabetic patient himself to check his blood sugar.

[0014]Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a medicine
management apparatus which is capable of assisting a patient who must
periodically take medicine by informing the patient of the medication
time in the form of an audio or video signal.

[0015]Further yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
medicine management apparatus which is capable of managing a patient at a
remote place by determining whether the patient has taken medicine based
on signals detected when the doors of the medicine management apparatus
are opened and informing an administrator at the remote place of the
determination result.

[0016]To achieve the above objects, according to the present invention,
there is provided a medicine management apparatus for managing a
patient's medication period through message transmission, the apparatus
comprising a medicine storage casing for storing medicines, a display
unit for displaying medication times for the medicines and temperature
and humidity within the medicine storage casing, an audio unit for
informing the medication times on a periodic basis, a timer for setting
the medication times on a periodic basis and outputting the medication
times through the audio unit or the display unit, a Short Message Service
(SMS) transmission module for transmitting a SMS message to an
administrator over a wireless communication network when there is no open
signal detected when doors provided in the medicine storage casing are
opened using the open signal as a medication signal, and a control unit
for performing an overall control operation.

[0017]The medicine management apparatus may further comprise a wired
communication module for transmitting an emergency signal to a management
server over a wired communication network when there is no open signal
using the open signal as the medication signal.

[0018]When there is no open signal of the doors, the audio unit or the
display unit preferably is controlled to output a medication notification
signal again based on the period set in the timer in response to a
periodic signal.

[0019]The SMS transmission module and the wired communication module
preferably may transmit the SMS message and an emergency signal to the
administrator and a management server, respectively, when there is no
open signal although the medication notification signal is outputted
again by a predetermined number of times in response to the periodic
signal.

[0020]The medicine storage casing preferably is partitioned into a hot
storage room, a cold storage room, and a room-temperature storage room
with a barrier rib interposed therebetween. Temperature and humidity
within each of the storage rooms preferably are controlled by the control
unit.

[0021]The timer preferably comprises a first timer, a second timer, and a
third timer configured to set the respective medication times of the
medicines stored in the hot storage room, the cold storage room, and the
room-temperature storage room.

[0022]The medicine management apparatus may further comprise a blood sugar
measuring instrument for enabling a diabetic patient himself to measure
his blood sugar.

[0023]A blood sugar value measured by the blood sugar measuring instrument
may be transmitted to the administrator and the management server through
the message transmission module and the wired communication module,
respectively.

[0024]The medicine management apparatus may further comprise an urgent
button unit disposed on one side of the medicine management apparatus and
configured to transmit an urgent signal according to the patient's urgent
situation to a management server or an administrator over wired/wireless
communication networks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025]Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fully
understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0026]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal construction of a
medicine management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention;

[0027]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a system for transmitting an
emergency signal to a management server and an administrator through SMS
or over a wired communication network using the medicine management
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a system for, when an urgent
situation is generated, transmitting an urgent signal to the management
server and the administrator through SMS or over a wired communication
network using the medicine management apparatus according to an
embodiment of the present invention; and

[0029]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a system for transmitting a
measured blood sugar value to the management server and the administrator
through SMS or over a wired communication network using the medicine
management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0030]Hereinafter, the constructions and acting effects of a medicine
management apparatus capable of managing a patient's medication period
through message transmission (hereinafter referred to as a `medicine
management apparatus`) according to some embodiments of the present
invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.

[0031]The terminology `message` used in the present invention is a concept
including, in general, Short Message Service (SMS, short message), Long
Message Service (LMS, long message), and Multi-media Message Service
(MMS, text and images). It is to be noted that in the following
embodiments, SMS transmission is described as an example, and a `message
transmission module` described in the claims refers to an SMS
transmission module in the SMS, an LMS transmission module in the LMS,
and an MMS transmission module in the MMS.

[0032]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal construction of a
medicine management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention.

[0033]As shown in FIG. 1, the medicine management apparatus according to
the present embodiment includes a power source unit 110, a medicine
storage casing 100 consisting of a hot storage room 120, a cold storage
room 130, and a room-temperature storage room 140, a blood sugar
measuring instrument 150, a timer 160, an SMS transmission module 170, a
wired communication module 180, a control unit 190, an audio unit 191, a
video unit 192, and a memory unit 193.

[0034]The medicine storage casing 100 is partitioned into the hot storage
room 120, the cold storage room 130, and the room-temperature storage
room 140. The storage rooms 120, 130, and 140 can be isolated from each
other by a barrier rib that is made of adiabetic materials and configured
to prevent the transfer of heat therebetween. Furthermore, the storage
rooms can be equipped with respective independent doors and can be placed
in respective partitioned shelves up and down or left and right in the
form of a drawer type.

[0035]Temperature and humidity of each of the hot storage room 120, the
cold storage room 130, and the room-temperature storage room 140 can be
independently set by the control unit 190. Independent power sources can
be supplied to the storage rooms. Open sense sensors (refer to 231 to 233
of FIG. 2) for sensing signals generated when the doors of the storage
rooms 120, 130, and 140 are opened are respectively mounted on the doors
of the storage rooms 120, 130, and 140.

[0036]The blood sugar measuring instrument 150 is configured to enable a
patient himself to measure his blood sugar. The blood sugar measuring
instrument 150 may preferably include a string connection wire unit
configured to have a test strip connected thereto, a blood sugar
measuring unit configured to include an active electrode and an inactive
electrode, an analog-digital converter configured to convert an analog
value measured by the blood sugar measuring unit into a digital signal, a
microprocessor configured to measure blood sugar, and a communication
unit configured to transmit the measured blood sugar value over
wired/wireless communication networks. The blood sugar measuring
instrument for transmitting a measured blood sugar value over the
wired/wireless communication networks is known in the art, and a detailed
description thereof is omitted.

[0037]The timer 160 may include a first timer 160a for the hot storage
room 120, a second timer 160b for the cold storage room 130, and a third
timer 160c for the room-temperature storage room 140.

[0038]The first to third timers 160a to 160c are configured to set the
medication times of medicines stored in the respective storage rooms 120
to 140. Furthermore, if a certain period of time elapses from a
medication time, a periodic value for outputting a medication
notification signal again in order to repeatedly inform the medication
time is set in each of the first to third timers 160a to 160c.

[0039]The memory unit 193 stores operating programs of the medicine
management apparatus. The memory unit 193 further stores messages which
will be transmitted to a management server or an administrator at a
remote place via the SMS transmission module 170 and the wired
communication module 180 in the form of a table.

[0040]The SMS transmission module 170 and the wired communication module
180 are of wired/wireless communication units for transmitting the
messages, stored in the memory unit 193, to the management server or the
administrator at the remote place while operating in conjunction with the
timer 160 under the control of the control unit 190.

[0041]The control unit 190 is a main controlled that is responsible for an
overall control operation of the medicine management apparatus. The power
source unit 110 supplies a power source. The audio unit 191 can be, for
example, a typical speaker for informing the medication times through
voice or for giving an alarm. The video unit 192 can be, for example, a
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) for displaying the medication times,
temperature and humidity of each storage room, the current time, etc.

[0042]Configurations for transmitting a medication notification signal, an
emergency signal, and an urgent signal using the medicine management
apparatus constructed as above according to the present invention are
described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0043]First, signals described in the present invention are defined as
follows.

[0044]A door open signal refers to a signal detected by each of the open
detection sensors 231 to 233 when the respective doors of the storage
rooms 120 to 140 are opened. The door open signal is used to determine
whether a patient has taken medicine on a predetermined time at a remote
place.

[0045]A medication notification signal is used for the medicine management
apparatus to directly inform a patient that a medication time has
reached.

[0046]An emergency signal is transmitted to the management server and the
administrator at a remote place when a patient has not taken medicine on
a predetermined time. The emergency signal is transmitted when the door
has not been opened although the medication notification signal has been
repeatedly transmitted several times according to a period set in the
timer on the basis of a door open signal. The management server or the
administrator that has received the emergency signal determines that a
patient has not taken medicine on a predetermined time and takes
appropriate measures.

[0047]An urgent signal is used to inform the management server or the
administrator at a remote place that a patient is urgent by pressing an
urgent button unit 240 provided at a specific location of the medicine
management apparatus.

[0048]Referring to FIG. 1 medication time values of medicines stored in
the storage room 120 to 140 are set in the first to third timers 160a to
160c, respectively. A patient or the family of the patient who is near
the medicine management apparatus is informed of the set medication times
through the audio unit 191 and the video unit 192 based on messages
stored in the memory unit 193 under the control of the control unit 190.
The patient can take medicine on the predetermined times based on the
medication notification signals.

[0049]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a system for transmitting an
emergency signal to a management server and an administrator through SMS
or over a wired communication network using the medicine management
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050]If, although a medication notification signal has been sent, a
corresponding medicine storage room has not been opened, a corresponding
one of the open detection sensors 231 to 233 repeatedly sends the
medication notification signal according to a predetermined period.

[0051]Here, if the corresponding one of the open detection sensors 231 to
233 detects that the corresponding medicine storage room has not yet been
opened in response to the repeatedly transmitted medication notification
signal, the control unit 190 transmits an emergency signal to the
management server 210 through a wired communication module 170 (i.e., an
RJ-45 Internet connection unit 171 or a 24K analog modem 172). The
management server 210 transfers the received emergency signal to the
administrator 220 such that the administrator 220 can check the urgent
situation of the patient. Alternatively, the control unit 190 may
directly send SMS, corresponding to the emergency signal, to the
administrator 220 through an SMS transmission module 180 (i.e., CDMA and
HSDPA 181 or a WiFi module 182) such that the administrator 220 can check
the urgent situation of the patient.

[0052]The management server 210 may correspond to a medical
service-related department of a central government, a medical
service-related department of a self-governing body, a private medical
service-related company, etc. The administrator 220 may correspond to a
person who is involved in a hospital that is in full charge of a patient,
a social welfare worker, or a patient's relatives.

[0053]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a system for, when an urgent
situation is generated, transmitting an urgent signal to the management
server and the administrator through SMS or over a wired communication
network using the medicine management apparatus according to an
embodiment of the present invention.

[0054]In the case where a patient is in an urgent situation, when a
patient or the family of the patient presses the urgent button unit 240
provided at a specific location of the medicine management apparatus, the
control unit 190 transmits an emergency signal to the management server
210 through the wired communication module 170 (i.e., the RJ-45 Internet
connection unit 171 or the 24K analog modem 172). The management server
210 transfers the received emergency signal to the administrator 220 such
that the administrator 220 can check the urgent situation of the patient
and take appropriate measures. Alternatively, the control unit 190 may
directly transmit SMS, corresponding to the emergency signal, to the
administrator 220 through the SMS transmission module 180 (i.e., the CDMA
and HSDPA 181 or the WiFi module 182) such that the administrator 220 can
check the urgent situation of the patient and take appropriate measures.

[0055]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a system for transmitting a
measured blood sugar value to the management server and the administrator
through SMS or over a wired communication network using the medicine
management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056]The blood sugar measuring instrument 150 is a blood sugar measuring
instrument enabling a patient himself to measure his blood sugar. The
blood sugar measuring instrument 150 includes a string connection wire
unit configured to have a test strip connected thereto, a blood sugar
measuring unit configured to include an active electrode and an inactive
electrode, an analog-digital converter configured to convert an analog
value measured by the blood sugar measuring unit into a digital signal, a
microprocessor configured to measure blood sugar, and a communication
unit configured to transmit the measured blood sugar value over
wired/wireless communication networks.

[0057]When a patient measures his blood sugar using the blood sugar
measuring instrument 150, the measured blood sugar value, together with
the patient's personal history, is transmitted to the management server
210 through the wired communication module 170 (i.e., the RJ-45 Internet
connection unit 171 or the analog modem 172) under the control of the
control unit 190. The management server 210 transfers the measured blood
sugar value and the patient's personal history to the administrator 220
such that the administrator 220 can check the patient's urgent situation
and take appropriate measures. Alternatively, the control unit 190 may
directly transmit the measured blood sugar value, together with the
patient's personal history, to the administrator 220 through the SMS
transmission module 180 (i.e., the CDMA and HSDPA 181 or the WiFi module
182) in the form of SMS such that the administrator 220 can check the
patient's urgent situation and take appropriate measures.

[0058]Here, the management server 210 may correspond to a medical
service-related department of a self-governing body, and the
administrator 220 may correspond to a person who is involved in a
hospital that is in full charge of the patient.

[0059]While some exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been
described, the present invention is not to be restricted by the
embodiments, but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated
that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments in
various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the present
invention.

[0060]As described above, according to the present invention, medicines
can be stored according to storage conditions based on the types of the
medicines. The medicine management apparatus is equipped with the blood
sugar measuring instrument that enables a patient himself to measure his
blood sugar. Accordingly, a diabetic patient himself can check his blood
sugar. Medication times can be provided to a patient who must
periodically take medicine through an audio or video signal. Furthermore,
whether a patient has taken medicine is determined based on signals
detected when the doors of the medicine management apparatus are opened,
and an administrator at a remote place is informed of the determination
results. Accordingly, the patient can be managed at the remote place.